Spool



Feb. 14, 1933. G Dl ATWOOD 1,897,227

SPOOL Filed Feb. 14. 1930 Patented Feb. 14, 19.33

UNTED STATES GEORGE .'D. .ATWOOD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW. YORK SPOOL Application filed February 14, 1930. Serial No. 428,274.

This invention relates to a spool.

It is an object of the invention to provide a spool which may lit a circular or a non-circular spindle i'or frictional or positive drive.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a spool of metal, of cheap and economical construction, and of a character such that material is wound thereon smoothly, circularly and without bulges.

Vith these general objects in view, the invention consists in the features, arrangements and details o' construction which will lirst be described in connection with the accompanying drawing and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a known winding mechanism having a spool constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an isolated elevational view of one embodiment of the spool;

Figure 3 is an isolated elevational view of another embodiment of the spool;

Figure d is a transverse sectional view taken as on line d--st of Fig. 2; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken as on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Y

In the drawing, a spool constructed in accordance with the invention is shown applied to a known winding mechanism (Figure 1). This mechanism comprises a spindle shaft on which is disposed the spool 11 which, as here shown, has thereon a roll 12 ot paper or the like. Flanges 13 are disposed on the shaft and against the ends of the tube to give side support to the roll. These flanges have split resilient spindle sleeves 14 inserted inside the spool ends and pressing outwardly to provide frictional engagements with the spool to be driven thereby. As the rest of the mechanism is not related to the invention,

no detailed description is given.

invention is adapted to be used on a circular or round spindle, such as provided by sleeves 14 for frictional drive, and it is also adapted to be disposed on 'a non-circular or multir sided spindle and to interlock with the sides 0 of the spindle for positive drive. To this A spool constructed in accordance with the4 end, a spool is provided which is in the form of a metallic cylindrical tube having a flat projection or projections extending inwardly or interior-ly of the tube, said projections being formed by indenting the outside wall of` the tube inwardly and designed to lit the sides of a multi-sided spindle. In order that the paper or other material may be wound smoothly and circularly on the spool without bulges, the circumference of the spool is made uniform throughout. This result is obtained by arranging the inward projections circularly with curved regions connecting adjacent projections and having the same radii as that of the tube, and by designing the regions and projections to have substantially kthe same perimeter as the tube.

The spool shown as an example in Figures 2 and 4 comprises the metallic cylindrical tube 15 which be longitudinally split as at 16 or circularly continuous. The metal of this tube is indented inwardly at two portions of the tube length which, in this embodiment, are spaced substantially equally from the tube ends. The indentations provide interiorly extending fiat projections 17. As

here shown, the projections are circularly arranged in groups of four to lit a square spindle, this number being optional and depending on the number of sides of the spindle to be fitted. Curved regions 18 connect adjacent projections. The regions have Aradii equal to the radius ot' the tube whereby the exteriors of said regions form smooth continuations or the outside tube surface and provide, in edect, for winding purposes, a uniform spool circumference. The perimeters of the indented portions are designed substantially equal to that of the circular tube portion to avoid bulges and provide smooth circular winding thereon.

As already explained, this spool may be fitted on a square spindle which is engaged on its sides by the flat inward projections to give a positive drive by the spool. It mayalso be used with a circular or round spindle such as the spindle sleeves of Figure 1 which fit in the circular bores at the ends. This embodiment is characterized by its small circumference which is the smallest possible for ico a given circular spindle and which is advantageous in keeping the size of the roll to a minimum.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 5` 5, the interiorly extending projections are similar to those described but are `arranged at the extreme tube ends so that non-circular bores occur at these ends. In thiscase, the n round spindle elements it within the non- Circular portions, being in effect -inscribed.V within said portions. The outside of this spool is considerably larger than the formerY Y i spool and the paper roll assumes larger' size..A These spools are formed as tubes which are placed in dies for stamping out the inden'- tations defining the inward projections. The tubes lbeing `or" metal, are relatively cheap and the'spools can be made `at a low cost. -Whatis claimedis: f A spoolcomprising a metallic cylindrical tubehaving at one portion of its lengthindetations forming interiorly extending flat spindle-engaging projections arranged circularly and VCurvedregions between adjacent projections,` said ourvedr regions having sub stantiallythe same radius as the tube, said tube .having substantially equalperimeters at its circularand' non-circular portions.

- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set mylhand.

` GEORGE D. ATWOOD. 

